Friday, November 07, 2008

Equal Rights for Felines

The news today carries a story discussing what breed of dog Obama will have in the White House. Has anyone else noticed the gross, continued discrimination in this area? I haven't made up a complete list, but so far as I can remember every presidential pet in my lifetime was a dog.

One could understand it in the case of Nixon, whose position in history was, arguably, due to a cocker spaniel named Checkers. But Checkers died in 1964, so never got the place he had earned in the White House save perhaps as an occasional visitor. But what did a dog do for Obama? What did Fala do for FDR or Millie or Spot for Bush's I and II?

I won't claim that some of my best friends are dogs--it could be misinterpreted--but I have nothing against dogs, having had two when I was growing up. But if Obama really believed in change, not to mention equal rights and affirmative action, he would be getting a cat.

Many of the same beliefs or desires that have pushed me toward the libertarian/anarcho-capitalist direction, such as the desire to live free from coercion, have also made me become a vegetarian. Animals evolved in the same manner as humans, so presumably have some level of self-interest. Since animals don’t screw with me, I’ll return the favor and refrain from screwing with them. Not sure what this has to do with Obama getting a pet, but it is the first thing that popped in my mind…

Nice post. Let's have more cats, indeed! A pigmy hippo would be kind of cool, but as a cat person myself I'd naturally prefer politicians to be similarly oriented.

There must be some catty politicians, but I don't know of any offhand. It's rather prejudice-confirming that politicians seem to prefer doggy dependence and devotion to catty independence and self-reliance.

Taken from: http://ittybittykittycommittee.blogspot.com/2008/11/race-is-almost-over.html

16th President, Abraham Lincoln: Tabby. The first White House cat.19th President, Rutherford Hayes: Siam. A gift from the American Consul in Bangkok; this cat was the first Siamese to reach the United States (1878).26th President, Theodore Roosevelt: Slippers and Tom Quartz.29th President, Calvin Coolidge: Smokey, Blackie, Timmy and Tiger. Tiger was a grey stripped stray who used to be carried around the White House by the president, around his neck.35th President, John Kennedy: Tom Kitten. When the cat died in 1962, he was given an obituary notice by the press.38th President, Gerald Ford: Shan.39th President, Jimmy Carter: A Siamese, Misty Malarky Ying Yang.40th President, Ronald Reagan: Cleo & Sara, Tortoiseshell strays, also several unnamed cats.42nd President, Bill Clinton: Socks43rd President, George W. Bush: Ernie and India "Willie" Bush and Cowboy.